Oppressive

I had a reasonable night and awoke to blue skies… I was quite excited. But looking at the forecast, suggestions were that it would be cloudy later. Correct.

So H and I got ourselves out just before 09.00 or thereabouts. We were out for about an hour, some of which was spent with my backside parked on the nice bench by the pond. The dragonfly man and his lens was out and about and there were various others, but it was generally peaceful.
And sunny. And warm.
Dandelion clocks littered the meadows, each intact one so delicate in its beauty.

I returned H to the house (too warm for her in the car) because I wanted to get some pot compost from Lidl, where it is not only cheaper, but is also sold in 20litre bags which I can manage more easily. Their bedding and other selection is often good , but not today, unless you wanted lavendula whatever that is. Looked nice but I was not tempted.

I also picked up some of their frozen prawns – really good value and also tasty. I stick them in salads, curries, veg hot pots just to vary things etc etc. They also had a wonderful selection of bagged nuts, walnuts, pistachios, even pecans as well as peanuts and cashews. And a magnificent display of Greek delicacies … now nougats à bought from a bakery is calorifically yummy…

Next up, I made a dash to Root One in the hunt for a plant to replace the miserable rose in the plant pot at the front of the house. One rose is flourishing extraordinarily well. The other is an embarrassment. I found a rather nice tree shaped fuschia. Just the job, I thought.

I thought I would just test my plan by swapping the rose pots, thorns and all, around, so that the one covered in flowers is in the corner between us and next door, instead of climbing all over our bedroom window. Moving the embarrassment across was easy. But I couldn’t shift the flourishing one. I rocked it, I lifted T’s Minehead rocks off the top of the soil ( which keep it damp) but it wouldn’t budge. Then I realised it had developed a big root via the base drainage hole which was anchoring it into the gravel. And enabling all its flourishingness. It would take more than me to shift it. A job for later.

I sat down and dozed for just a few minutes but was woken by Amazon delivering compost, Nairn reduced sugar biscuit selection and other items. Including toilet rolls. This was the first toilet paper I have bought since T died. And I was always blamed for using too much. He used it to blow his nose and when he coughed. He was offered tissues but always built toilet paper skyscrapers from the full rolls, which he kept by his side of the bed. We had a toilet paper mountain in stock last December.

The afternoon passed with some relaxation – I was conserving my ankle which I think is now on the mend. Once I have overcome intial soreness and keep it relatively mobile, it is more cooperative and less painful.

Time passed and I was faced with a choice of cutting the grass, or cycling, or both (simultaneously was a suggestion) . I made up my mind to tackle the grass – if it gets too long, it is a heavy job. I wasn’t sure that my heel and would be nimble enough to avoid the wires. Nimble … as if. I don’t think I’ve ever been nimble.
By now it had clouded over long since.

Just as I stepped out of the back door, the heavens opened and heavy rain tipped down. The decision was made for me.

I wandered down to the shed and straddled the static bike. H came along to supervise but I needed to close the shed door due to the rain. She stood out in it for a while – unsure whether to join me or go into the house. A bit of a soaking took place.

I had prawns and mayo for supper with nuts on the side. Thank you Lidl.

Then I discovered Clarksons Farm 3 has been released. So that was my evening entertainment – all 4 episodes. What??!! Only 4 episodes!!
Phew! Four more will be released next Friday. Now his restaurant has been shut down by his local west Oxfordshire council as a result of neighbourly misgivings, (pompous asses) he is having to turn his mind to new plans.

Having watched a Tory minister flannel around and make himself look silly, over the government’s ‘plan’ and the need to stick to it, despite Laura Kuenssberg’s very best efforts to persuade him that the public had just voted to say they didn’t like this particular ‘plan’ … Well… I hope Jeremy has more sensible ideas.

What didn’t the MP understand about losing nearly 400 councillors and every Mayor to other parties? Well, it’s alright, Rishi’s plan is working. So the government will stick to it. Yeah right! Like lemmings to slaughter: taking the country with them.

Unfortunately , for him, Jeremy had picked up on a farming strategy Liz Truss was to embark on with China in mind…the wisdom of Truss was to guide his farm from 2022 on. Late 2022 on was when Series 3 was filmed. She must know her stuff because she was PM Jeremy reasoned. At the start of filming, little did he know…

Thought for the Day